Cathay Pacific is aiming to have its full fleet of A350 aircraft back in the skies by September 7.
The Hong Kong-hubbed airline was forced to ground 15 out of its 48 A350s when it was identified that engine fuel lines required replacement.
The issues came to light when an aircraft was forced to return to Zurich due to an engine component failure.
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The decision to ground the ‘cargo-friendly’ aircraft came as cargo demand out of the Hong Kong market remains strong and capacity is tight for the time of year.
This is reflected by rates to the US that are 22% higher than they were this time last year.
The airline said: “15 aircraft were identified with engine fuel lines that require replacement. Of these, six have already undergone successful repairs and are cleared to operate. The remaining nine aircraft will be repaired and are expected to resume operation by September 7.”
In total, the airline expects to cancel 45 return flights between September 2 and September 7.
Apart from one long-haul flight on 2 September, all cancelled flights are for regional destinations.
Destinations affected include Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul, Shanghai and Kaohsiung.
Chief operations and service delivery officer Alex McGowan said: “This was a significant situation for Cathay to manage as the engine component failure was the first of its type to occur on any A350 aircraft anywhere in the world.”
